Month: March 2019

Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m in a rut. Same old same old. It feels like I need to find a way to swim in a different part of the pond, to change things up a bit.

When I look back at the books I’ve been reading for the last month or two, the rut feeling doesn’t really hold up. Yes, I’ve been spending a lot more time with certain authors but there have still been a good number of new ones.

Maybe it’s not the part of the pond that’s the issue, maybe it’s the route I take to get there.

A different route works for me when I’m driving so why not here too.

With that in mind, I thought I would sign up for Kindle Unlimited and give it a try. See if it will give me new avenues of exposure. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Another new opportunity presented itself this week, as well.

I saw an ad from a publisher, Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. It sounded like they were looking for new readers for new books as they came out. If you signed up you would be added to the list to receive free copies. They publish about 40 books a year and you pick and choose which ones you might be interested in reading. I signed up, of course. There have been several emails already, and I’ve ordered and enjoyed reading three or four of their books. It looks like a good chance to see some I may not see anywhere else.

I’m not entirely sure it is what I thought it was – new books just coming out. But, that may be ok, as long as it adds freshness to my reading choices.

Today’s book is one I found on Kindle Unlimited

Family Reunions Series – Hide and Seek – Lynette Eason

PI Romantic Suspense

Devastated by the kidnapping of her three year old daughter Molly, Erica James becomes a skip tracer, helping others find their missing children while searching for her own. And, she’s good at it.

It’s been three years with little-to-no progress in finding her daughter but today they have a new lead. A piece of Molly’s clothing was found in a crack-house raid and they were able to lift a fingerprint. It belongs to a girl known to police as a drug addict.

Erica has the address and is determined to see for herself if there are any other clues that may have been overlooked. GPS has taken her into an unexpected rough area where it isn’t safe and she realizes she should not have come on this quest alone. A couple of menacing shapes are approaching the back of her parked vehicle when a police cruiser appears on the cross street ahead of her. The guys quickly disappear. Shaken, she calls her brother for backup and promises to stay in the car until he gets there.

She meant to wait but screams from the girl she saw entering the house has her running to see if she can help.

Max Powell is a private investigator looking for his illusive, and rebellious, addict sister. He’s heard the same report Erica has and hopes to find Lydia tonight. When he parks behind a car with the driver’s door hanging open he is on high alert. What is going on here?

Erica is inside and in trouble. She has stumbled into the middle of a desperate scene.

From the front door, Max hears commotion inside and can see the trouble. He’s hoping police will arrive before someone gets killed.

They do, and take charge of the situation, making arrests, but Lydia has disappeared, again.

In the process of explaining to police what they are doing in this house, they realize they are both searching for the same girl. Just for different reasons. Maybe they would learn more if they worked together on finding her.

Alexa Hartfield, beloved mystery writer, lives in the small town of Fairbury and is famous, at home and abroad, for her everyday appearances in a wide array of elaborate and authentic vintage ensembles.

The recent arrest and conviction of her best friend, and seamstress extraordinaire, has given her attention of a new and different kind. Murder and mayhem found only in her popular books has leaked out into her personal life. An uncomfortable situation.

Change is unsettling to Alexa and there’ve been many others recently ….. a move to a new and larger house, a new engagement, and the discovery of a possible replacement seamstress – capable of the perfection she requires. All of these things have upset her orderly lifestyle. Strict routine has been her method of coping since breaking free of her dysfunctional family.

Her house and writing area was set up just the way she liked it. That made it possible to create the rituals which became an integral part of her writing process. Nothing is working the same way in the new house and it’s a struggle trying to recreate what was lost with the move.

The latest book is finished and the end always calls for a celebratory roast beef dinner. For years she’s done this alone but it’s different now with another person to consider. She feels the need for the presence of her policeman fiancé, Joe, at this meal. When he isn’t able to show up at the expected time and dinner is ruined, it’s too much. Her fragile hold on this life of change is severely challenged and she’s ready to run.

This concerns both Joe and her brother Wes. Especially Wes, he knows his sister and can see it all happening again.

Joe is happy her decision to break their engagement is tabled for now . She has a bi-annual trip planned to visit her judgemental, critical family. Her brother Wes is his roommate, and that’s given Joe some insight into the distressful family dynamics. He needs time to convince her to stay and take a chance on the good relationship they have together. He knows life can be different for them. The needed conversation can wait until after she gets back, that will buy him time to launch a defense.

Alexa stands up for herself and reserves a hotel room, not giving in to the pressure to stay with her family. Two weeks is just too much, two days would be too much.

She’s exhausted and thankful to crawl into bed after the long trip and the disastrous homecoming dinnertime spent with her parents and sister.

When she’s pulled out of a deep sleep at 2 am by an alarm ringing incessantly in the next room she calls the front desk to complain.

They say it can’t be happening, the room is empty. They keep insisting it’s unoccupied but finally agree to send someone up to investigate. There’s a lot of racket in the hallway and Alexa figures she’d better go see what’s happening since she made the call. She hears vomiting and then there’s a figure backing out of the room. Soon the hallway is filled with other guests wanting to know what the commotion is all about.

It seems the empty room has a body in the bed. A dead body.

The police keep asking her a lot of, what she considers, irrelevant questions. She’s tired and orders them out of her room if they aren’t planning to arrest her. They leave but she gets the unsettling impression they think she had something to do with it. For some reason they think the evidence is pointing in her direction.

It turns out someone is trying to frame her for this murder, but why?

Chautona Havig is always a good read. She has a vivid imagination turning out unique and varied story lines in different genres. She’s prolific, I’ve downloaded and read 30 of her books and there are still many more waiting to be read.

There has never been a moment in this reading experience where it felt like deja vu …. that’s amazing. One thing I have felt though is character recognition – wait a minute .. have we met? There is good reason for that feeling. She likes to link her books and often has characters popping up in the middle of someone else’s story. Sometimes inadvertently. Ooops.

As well as her wild imagination, Chautona has a unique take on life; that makes for interesting characters and situations.

I could spend more time on her books but then I’d be short on time to read all the other interesting authors I’ve downloaded. A wonderful dilemma.

In the meantime I need to get back to Hartfield Mysteries book 4 Front Window. Joe and Alexa are on their honeymoon and it looks like things are about to go awry.

Personally, I hate this question. I was reminded of this fact a few minutes ago while reading a blog post giving advice to introverts attending writers conferences. One of the suggestions was to ask what are you currently reading as a conversation opener.

Generally, I’m speechless when someone uses that question on me……. even when I am in the middle of reading a book in a public place.

Not always, but most times, I’m enjoying the book and under the right circumstances would be excited about sharing why, in great detail. So why is this question a conversation killer for me?

The first thing that comes to mind is hype around what is considered to be a must-read book. Pretty much never, is how often anyone will find me reading a critically acclaimed book. Filtering what I’m reading through this criteria robs me of words. I assume the asker will be expecting me to name some fabulous book. Maybe I assume wrongly…. I might need to give that some thought.

The reason I rarely read recommended books is because (in my mind) book critic’s ratings are on the same scale as movie and fashion critics. Their picks usually appeal to a niche market, not the mainstream. I march to the beat of my own drum. I like what I like and don’t spend time worrying about what’s trendy or popular. How’s that working out for me? Very well, I have to say.

The second filter has to do with time. When I hear the question, whatare you reading, I feel like the answer should be along the lines of – this month we are reading ____

The thing is; most often the current book was started a few hours ago and in a few more hours it will be a different one. That’s just the way it is for me. Gobble, gobble. The only time a book lasts longer is when it doesn’t appeal and breaks are needed to help get me through it.

Maybe the last reason I’m reluctant to name a book is because I expect it will be a conversation stopper when you hear what I’m reading.

So, what am I currently reading? …… Blog posts.

I’m taking a break, a new book will be starting shortly.

I have been reading awesome authors with amazing stories. Maybe I just need to get over my own insecurities and stand tall and proud about what I’m reading.

In this setting, I like telling you about books I’ve read. I’m still behind, so more are coming …. soon.

There are repeat authors on the list this time and only one new one – Tom Threadgill.

The regulars are Christy Barritt, Blake Pierce, Margaret Daley and Kristen Heiztmann. They are excellent writers and they often give good deals on their books. Such a great way to acquaint readers with their work.

I enjoyed reading the new author’s book too, Coming of Winter, and look forward to seeing more from him.

I highly recommend every book on this list. Good reads – all of them.

Disillusioned – Christy Barritt …… Sometimes we don’t know who we can trust, or, if there is anyone we can trust. Nikki is relieved to have her brother home from Columbia after escaping a terrorist group. When the hospital releases him to her care and the bodyguards sent to keep them safe turn out to be the enemy, all trust is gone.

Bobby and Nikki manage to escape their would be captors and call the one friend they know could help. Now all three of them are in this together with arrest warrants out on all of them, They are running for their life.

The authorities are convinced Bobby is in league with the terrorists, he says he’s not. He is trying to stop the bombings plotted against the US, not cause them.

There is something strange going on with Bobby and at times Nikki can’t be sure if she knows which side he is truly on. She is convinced the threat is real though and time is not on their side if they want to stop it.

A Kate Wise Mystery – If She Knew book 1 – Blake Pierce …. Retired after a successful thirty year career with the FBI, Kate is restless with a year of living small town life under her belt. Not sure what to do with herself she has thought about re-establishing some sort of connection with her old life but can’t decide if she should.

She’s pondering all of this as she enters the restaurant for the weekly gathering with her friends. It’s strange. Deb is usually there first and isn’t, what’s with that?

The shocking news is her daughter has been murdered. The police are looking for the killer but Deb is determined that Kate has to investigate too.

She has a proven track record for finding serial killers. The trouble is, she has no authority and the local police won’t be happy with her poking her nose into their investigation.

They weren’t happy – they contacted her old FBI boss to complain. Not exactly the way she wanted to renew connections with her old life.

The Agency agreed to work with her and give her limited resources but the loss of even that is threatened as the bodies keep mounting up without an arrest.

She does have a proven track record though, and if she hasn’t lost her touch …..

Freefall – Kristen Heitzmann ….. A bruised and battered young woman has stumbled into someone’s yard after surviving a long trek out of the Hanalei Mountains, dehydrated and starving. She has no recollection of anything to do with who she is, what’s happened to her or why. She doesn’t remember leaving an injured someone behind, waiting for her to get help and return.

Cameron Pierce is hostile toward yet another stray showing up in his sister’s garden, taking advantage of her tender heart. The only reason he is here now is because he was asked to help figure out where she came from and what’s happened to her.

He wants to turn the woman they call Jade over to the police, or at the very least take her for medical help, but for reasons she doesn’t understand Jade resists, feeling threatened by going to the authorities.

The person she’s left behind has serious injuries and he’s caught behind a waterfall where it’s cold, damp, and there’s no way to get food when his meagre store runs out.

Jade is trying hard to remember but nothing is working.

Deciding to put a picture out there to see if anyone recognizes her will not work out the way they’d hoped. They’ll be left wishing they could take it back.

Strong Women, Extraordinary Situations Series – Deadly Fires: Rodeo Knights book 9 – Margaret Daley ….. Alexis Richards is trying hard to please her father after she’s been forced to run their family rodeo business while he recoups from a massive heart attack.

His blood pressure is through the roof when he hears his prize bull was out on the street terrorizing the neighborhood.

Bad things keep happening and it seems to be escalating without anyone knowing who or why.

Her father said he’s sending help and the last person she expects to see is Cole, her ex-husband. Their marriage did not survive the death of their son and Alexis is not happy to see him.

A Jeremy Winter Thriller – Coming of Winter book 1 – Tom Threadgill ….. Special Agent Jeremy Winter, twenty-three year veteran of the FBI has been exiled to St Louis from DC for anger management issues. Without any explanation.

He’s had to leave his girlfriend and all his friends behind to work white collar crime in a sterile office with a fake plant.

His anger is simmering when his phone rings and it’s a voice he is expected to recognize, and doesn’t. It’s a connection to his army days, a guy he doesn’t even know all that well.

Randy is worried about one of his ex wives, she hasn’t been cashing his alimony cheques and that’s highly unusual. He’s called the police and they checked it out and said everything looked fine, there is nothing they could do. He’s convinced something is wrong and wants Jeremy to find out where she is.

At first he doesn’t want to get involved but the longer he thinks about it and the more red flags his research uncovers – he’s convinced Randy has good reason to worry.

The challenge will be to find time to investigate without the brass realizing what he’s up to, at least until he has enough evidence to convince them there is a case to be worked on.

I’ve been reading The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey by Ian Morgan Cron and it’s been very enlightening. Another timely book in my life’s journey.

They tell me Enneagram has not been proven but has been experienced as useful. They also say it is not personality typing in a psychological sense but in a spiritual one. Of the nine categories number eight is Challenger and it is the strongest and most complicated in relationships. I guess that’s why the book deals with it first.

It didn’t take long for me to see myself in Eights description. This is not a surprise as similar results have come up in other tests I’ve taken over the years. It’s nice to see it expressed in a different fashion though as it adds another dimension to my understanding of why I do some of the things I do. A few of the descriptions for an Eight are – intimidating, intense, fearless, and more. To be honest, I’ve never viewed myself this way. I’ve always thought of myself as a wall flower trying not to be noticed. When I take a closer look at my life though, I can see I have been in denial about some things.

It was interesting: At work one day, eight or nine years ago, one of the guys asked me what I was like as a teenager. I couldn’t figure out why he would ask me that. I lead a very quiet life, then and now, so what would make him think I was a handful as a teenager? That question still runs through my mind occasionally and it’s only now, pondering all of this, that I can see what he saw in me. A passive, immovable strength. My brothers would call it stubborn.

As a teenager I wasn’t bothered by peer pressure, and don’t remember being afraid of my teachers or other authority figures. In my mind, it was fine if people didn’t think or believe the way I did. I kept to myself a lot with only a small circle of friends. I didn’t recognize any of these thought patterns as strength back then. As a teen you think what you feel is just normal and don’t spend much time thinking about it. Now, I’m beginning to see things from a different perspective.

Type Eight craves intense and this is so true for me. Both in conversations and in books. An Eight also does things in excess, which would explain the binges in most of my activities. The book describes this habit as go big or go home. I think 10 jigsaw puzzles in a row and a stack of books, all in a few weeks, qualifies.

All of this brings me to the one of the last books read along with Enneagram. A perfect example of intense.

Miramar Bay Series – Moondust Lake book 3 – Davis Bunn …. Buddy Helms has never been able to please his father no matter what. At least that’s the way he feels about it. He hasn’t been able to say no to his demands either. The hardest for him to swallow was the demand that Buddy join the family business. In reality, it isn’t a family business, it is a one man show – dictatorship is his dad’s leadership style and he rules with an iron fist.

Economically the company is floundering and Buddy negotiated a major deal that will put the company back in the black. Along with this deal he’s put together an exit plan to get himself out of the business he is good at but hates.

He’s had to spend time with the new psychologist in town, while setting up a new clinic, and association with her has also helped him find the courage to stand up to his dad. He’s ready to take the plunge and knows it will take a brilliant plan to pull it off. He has one that will do it if he can make the right alliances.

He expects his father to fight this decision to leave but doesn’t expect him to fight dirty. He doesn’t expect his association with her would also bring the psychologist under fire, a devastating blow for her after such a big move.

His mother is beyond thrilled Buddy finally has the courage to stand up to his father.

The family is going to be in shock; but she has a plan too. Enough is enough.

Davis Bunn’s books are always thoughtful and well written. I won’t be forgetting this book in a hurry.

If you like intense as much as I do, you will enjoy this book. I am positive about that.

Here are a few more thriller suggestions for you. Ghost was probably my favorite…. because of the dry humor. I always like a book that will make me laugh out loud. The twists and turns of the story were fun too.

Distorted – Christy Barritt ….. Mallory feels like she has been given a second chance at life and she is trying to build new and make it count for something. It has been working too….. until a man from her past is spotted at a public event for one of her new ventures. The old fears are suddenly strangling her and she can’t breathe.

Former Navy Seal Tennyson Walker is amazed at the difference in Mallory, he still has nightmares about her rescue from sex slavery. The call now is because of the stalker and while Mallory is grateful to see him again, he has reservations about interacting with her. There are secrets he’s been keeping about her life in captivity and for that he feels guilty.

A Sam Prichard Mystery – Ghost – Sam Prichard Part 2 book 1 – David Archer ….. Sam, a retired cop with a bad hip, is lead singer for a hot new band, with a side business as a private investigator. He’s trying to retire from the PI business but keeps being drawn back in.

He takes his wife out for a nice dinner and nearly runs a man over on the way home. Sam brakes to miss him and sees the man look back to the forest. His head suddenly explodes in a shower of blood before he has the chance to run across the road. Sam and his wife (also his personal assistant) figure they better check to see if there is anything they can do before help arrives. It’s strange; he is wearing a cheap suit but everything else about him spells money. There is nothing in the way of identification and no clues as to why he is out here running from someone. It feels creepy as they wait for the cops to show up.

It’s been a couple of weeks since the shooting, life has gone back to normal and Sam has a nine o’clock appointment. A tall black man with a retired military service dog — they’d survived Afghanistan together and now they have problems on the home front. Jack received a threatening note accusing his wife of cheating on him with his best friend Max. Jack doesn’t believe a word of it and wants Sam to find out who is doing this terrible thing.

Before Sunrise – Rick Mofina …. Will Fortin, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, chose the wilderness of southern Alberta as his place to serve. Life is hard in these remote places and the worst of it is domestic violence, where injuries are extreme and charges are never laid.

Will’s loving marriage didn’t survive his guilt and distress over failing to protect a woman who wouldn’t leave her abusive drunken husband. His promising career didn’t survive either but at least he was still employed.

For some reason his boss, all these years later, is sending him to Washington State to deliver a dangerous offender. They will be flying by small private plane in weather that is less than the best. When they crash in the mountains and most of the passengers are killed, Will is on his own with the prisoner. His challenge is to make sure no one else will ever be harmed by this murderer. A tall challenge.

The Blackwell Files – Tears of God book 7 – Steven F Freeman …. Her mother’s birthday party is in full swing when Mallory and her husband Alton arrive. The place is crowded with military guests, all of them having served with her parents through the years. A chance meeting with a man claiming to have served with her late father is disturbing. He expresses sorrow for the avoidable death – a surprise to Mallory who was told her father had died of a heart attack. He gives them his card and invites them to his home in the morning to hear more. When he doesn’t appear to answer the door, they imagine the worst and break in to find him dying in a pool of vomit on the bathroom floor. Someone has gotten to him first. With his dying breath he tries to whisper words they don’t understand but figure much be important for him to make such an effort.

The mystery deepens. Alton and Mallory try to make sense of the words they heard. They check with their FBI sources for clues and the results are mystifying. The coroner tells them Major Creighton’s cause of death is poisoning. They mention him to Mallory’s mother and find she doesn’t know this man and didn’t invite him to her party. Further research turns up more questions than answers and Mallory cannot rest without answers. It’s a good thing she is not the only one wanting to know because they have no idea what giant will be awakened by their search for the truth.

Men of Valor – Buried Secrets book 1 – Irene Hannon …. Lisa Grant, former Chicago homicide detective, has taken on the role of Chief in a small town hoping for the quiet life. Unearthing bones in a new housing development was not part of the future she had in mind with this move.

Former Navy Seal, Mac McGregor, has been called in to lend assistance and doesn’t get off to a good start when he bypasses Lisa and addresses one of the officers as the person in charge. Oops!

Lisa knows she has to find a way to set aside her prickly response to Mac if they hope to uncover the secrets buried with this person. Maybe it’s not a bad thing, but they have no idea what they are getting in to, or the lengths someone will go to try and keep the secrets hidden.

The other day someone asked me if this blog is about writing. It is…… indirectly.

I am a novice at writing so have little to offer that would be useful in perfecting a writer’s craft. I have thoughts and opinions but nothing I would share.

On the other hand, I have much experience as a reader. I’ve learned to recognize good writing and not-so-good writing. I am passionate about the value of an active and robust reading life in an aspiring writer.

Deeply disappointing experiences with books that could have been great and weren’t has ignited this passion to be an influencer.

To be great you have to hang out with the greats.

Discussion of mechanics will only take you so far. Watching a master at work will take you places an instruction book could never hope to go.

Attempting to inspire, here are a few more examples of good writing.

If you get caught up in a story and lose sight of the writing……it was a good book.

Due Justice … Judge Willa Carson and her sister have a long history of a rocky relationship and Carly has been ignoring Willa’s attempts to connect with her for over a year. The sight of her sister showing up at her door is a bit of a shock, to say the least. This visit wouldn’t be happening without good reason and Willa is immediately wary of being drawn in, again. If she asks the reason for the visit, and it turns out to be criminal in nature, she would have to choose between loyalty to her sister and the letter of the law requiring her to report to law enforcement. It could mean her job.

Carly is a successful lawyer herself and knows how to make things go her way. Despite her best efforts to avoid involvement, Willa finds herself signed up as legal counsel for a sister accused of murder. Can she manage to walk this tightrope? Helping her sister while keeping her job? Or will she crash and burn?

Twisted Justice …. Judge Willa Carson’s beloved husband has been arrested for murder. He has been leading the fight to defeat General Randall Andrews’ nomination to the Supreme Court. Andrews has been found dead and the police are convinced the evidence points to George Carson.

Willa doesn’t believe George did it but she feels helpless because he won’t discuss it with her. He says he has an alibi but can’t, or won’t – she’s not sure which – tell her where he was. He is refusing to hire a lawyer or to discuss his defense with anyone.

Willa decides; under normal circumstances George trusts her judgement so hopefully he will this time. One of Willa’s old classmates has become a high powered defence lawyer, it looked like a good fit but things don’t go as smoothly as hoped. George still refuses to cooperate and clues are hard to come by. Things are not what they seem and the truth – when it comes out – is a shock.

Leah Nash Mysteries – Dangerous Mistakes book 2 – Susan Hunter ….. Reporter Leah Nash is back at her small-town newspaper after a disgraceful exit from her big city job. She plans to do whatever it takes to survive this job and work on her true-crime book as a way to get back to the city. This won’t be easy since her new boss seems to have it in for her for some reason.

Escaping the notice of her boss becomes difficult when the daughter of the local surgeon is convinced her father did not commit suicide but was murdered. The authorities believe this murder theory is a figment of an overactive imagination so in desperation she turns to Leah for help. Soon everyone in town, everyone that matters anyway, is upset with Leah for poking her nose in where it doesn’t belong.

Even she begins to question the sanity of the murder theory but then odd things begin to happen and it’s clear, this is a dangerous position to be in, chasing a determined killer. Well, so is she … determined ….. to find the truth.

If your passion for reading is at a low ebb, I hope you will be inspired to make a change.